October 2010

Join me on Saturday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the new Amway Center for our Community Open House. This event is free and open to the entire community, however tickets are required. Free tickets and parking information can be found by visiting AmwayCenter.com.

The Community Open House will feature self-guided tours, entertainment and local performances, free popcorn and soda and commemorative items. Representatives from the Orlando Magic and Orlando Predators will also be on-hand. Residents can experience a “taste of the Amway Center” with a sampling of the newest food offerings that will be available for purchase.

The self-guided tour of the Amway Center will take patrons through the most technologically-advanced events center in the country, showcasing two levels of spacious concourses that include an impressive array of concessions; a stop along the way so the kids can climb STUFF’S Magic Castle, then up to the contemporary, open-air setting of Gentleman Jack’s Terrace, then up 100 feet to the Sky Bar spotlighting some of Downtown Orlando’s best views; past the player locker rooms and ultimately in the lower bowl where you can see the largest arena videoboard in the country.

For more information on the Community Open House, visit AmwayCenter.com. The new AmwayCenter.com is a one-stop destination for complete information including box office, ticket sale, parking and event calendar details.

I look forward to seeing you, your family, neighbors and friends at the Community Open House on October 2nd.

My regards,

Mayor Buddy Dyer

Strengthen Orlando

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Take advantage of legal experts in the field of homeowners and condominium association law. If you have legal questions about self-managing vs. hiring a management company, governance, grievances or appeals, records, disputes, reserve funding, foreclosures, association rules, enforcing CC&R's and more, you need to attend this workshop! Email your legal questions to NServices@ocfl.net by October 1, 2010. See enclosed flyer for details. 

Hosted by City of Orlando and Orange County Government
Date & Time: Saturday, October 9, 2010, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Orange County Internal Operations Center, 450 E. South Street

Registration: To register for this workshop, please call Orange County Neighborhood Services at 407.836.0035 or register on-line at ocfl.net/CommunityConnections.

Building Citizenship in the Community: Back to Basics

Informed, knowledgeable and engaged citizens are key to keeping our City of Orlando government efficient, effective and responsive. To ensure you and our all citizens are kept informed and have access to City information, programs and service, the City uses a variety of communication methods and tools. The City is utilizing many of the new social networking resources, such as Facebook and YouTube, to keep in touch with all our residents, including our younger citizens. Here are some of the communication methods the City is using. See the attached flyer to learn about the communication methods the City is using.

Neighborhood Champion Award 

In recognition of the many unsung heroes that work hard to keep their neighborhood a great place to live, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer created the Neighborhood Champion Award, which he will present at the annual Neighborhood and Community Summit held in the spring of each year. This award is geared towards City of Orlando residents, 18 or older, that demonstrate exemplary dedication and commitment to neighborhood improvement and sustainability. These individuals are the kind of citizens that consistently make a positive impact in their neighborhoods through their volunteer efforts, neighborhood organizations, or Citizen for Neighborhood Watch groups. Nominations may be submitted throughout the year by completing the online nomination form located on our website, CityofOrlando.net. The nominee’s efforts will need to have occurred between February 1, 2010, and February 1, 2011, to be eligible. We will contact the nominator and the nominee after the selection process has been held in March of 2011.

Parramore Community Garden

Are you an avid gardener? The Parramore Community Garden has garden beds available for planting your fall vegetables. The Parramore Garden Council will provide a premier garden plot to any Orlando resident, 18 or older, who is interested in gardening. Please contact Parramore Council President Bridget Monroe at 407.271.4452 or bmonroe1@gmail.com.

Buy Local Orlando

Buy Local Orlando connects Orlando's businesses with the buying power of our local community. Visit buylocalorlando.net to register for and print your FREE Buy Local Orlando consumer card and start saving money through special offers and discounts offered at Buy Local Orlando merchants. For more information, visit buylocalorlando.net or call the City’s Economic Development Department at 407.246.3109.

Community Venues Update

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Amway Center Community Open House

Join Mayor Buddy Dyer on Saturday, October 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the new Amway Center for our Community Open House. This event is free and open to the entire community, however tickets are required. Free tickets and parking information can be found by visiting AmwayCenter.com.

Looking for Information

Go online to the City’s website – cityoforlando.net and click on the “Community Venues” icon in the center towards the bottom of the page or visit cityoforlando.net/elected/venues. If you have questions that are not addressed on the City’s Community Venues web pages, or would like to have a Community Venues presentation at your association meeting, please contact Susan Harris by phone at 407.246.2779 or email susan.harris@cityoforlando.net.

JOBS

The Community Venues BLUEPRINT Employment Office is located at 1200 W. South Street, Orlando (corner of Orange Blossom Trail and South Street.) - 407.246.3721. Anyone interested in finding a job with one of the Venues, should go to the BLUEPRINT Employment Office for registration and referral. The office will also provide supportive services to eliminate barriers to employment, if needed. Examples of supportive services are resume writing, bus passes, childcare, tools and mentoring.

Performing Arts Center Speaker’s Bureau

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is spreading the word! Eager to share its mission and vision for a premiere arts and cultural destination in Downtown Orlando, the Dr. Phillips Center has created a speakers bureau comprised of staff, consultants and volunteers to speak to community-based organizations in Orlando and the surrounding Central Florida region. The team will be traveling to local professional, civic, educational, non-profit and neighborhood organizations to present and answer questions about the purpose and progress of the Dr. Phillips Center, as well as provide the direct cultural and economic impact it will bring to the community. The ultimate goal of the speakers bureau is to share the positive momentum leading up to the groundbreaking this September and engage all residents in the project. If you are a member of any local organization that would like a member of the Dr. Phillips Center’s speakers bureau to present to your group, please contact Rachel Steele, Associate Director of Communications, at rachel@drphillipscenter.org.

Public Safety Update

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My primary focus is to reduce violent crime in the City of Orlando. Most violent felonies are committed by criminals who resort to using illegal firearms. One of the ways to get these firearms off the streets is the “Kicks for Guns” program. This program allows people to bring in a variety of guns with no questions asked and they are given a free pair of shoes or a gift card in return. The 12th annual Kicks for Guns event was held on August 20, 2010 and was sponsored by Real Radio 104.1 and Central Florida CrimeLine. There were a total of 103 guns collected by the Orlando Police Department. In addition, 13 different agencies spread over nine different counties also participated in this event and collected a total of 1,356 guns, including 45 illegal shotguns.

This year’s Kicks for Guns event was a huge success. Great things can happen when we work together for the common good. Please contact CrimeLine when you have information in relation to a crime. You can reach them by phone at 1.800.423.8477, by text at 274637, or contact them online speakouthotline.org.

Get involved in stopping and preventing crime:

Reporting Crime & Suspicious Activity – call 911

Neighborhood Watch – 407.246.2369 - For more information about starting or joining Neighborhood Watch please contact:

Kea Council - Commission Districts 1, 2, 6 - 407.246.3773
Georgeanna Butler - Commission Districts 3, 4, 5 - 407.246.3628

Crime Prevention Presentations/Residential Crime Prevention Surveys – 407.246.2461

Operation Identification – 407.246.2369 – Marking or taking pictures of your property to prove ownership.

Crimeline – 1.800.423.8477 - Available 24 hours a day, taking anonymous tips on any felony criminal activity. Spanish speaking operators available. (If you witness a crime in progress, you should call 911)

Drug Hotline - 407.246.CRAK (2725) – An anonymous hotline for citizens to report drug activity to the Orlando Police Department.

Illegal Gun Bounty Program - call CRIMELINE at 1.800.423.8477. CRIMELINE, along with the City of Orlando, sponsors the very successful Illegal Gun Bounty Program. You are eligible for a $1000.00 reward for information that leads to an arrest, a gun recovery and a weapons charge. You can also remain anonymous.

Green Works Update

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Help us Recognize a Business in Your Neighborhood

We need help from you and your neighbors to identify and recognize businesses that either have enhanced or continue to maintain a well-kept, beautiful property. Keep Orlando Beautiful is accepting nominations for the Beautification Awards, which are awarded annually to one business from each of the six City commission districts. Winners must possess an overall well-kept and aesthetically pleasing property that is litter-free and beautifully landscaped. Any individual business or commercial property within the City limits is eligible, including those maintained by a property manager such as apartment complexes, office buildings, churches or strip malls. Those ineligible include government facilities, schools and homes. To nominate a deserving business you can visit our website at cityoforlando.net/forms/kob/beautification%20awardsform.html or contact Jody Goostree, Keep Orlando Beautiful Coordinator, at 407.246.2752 or jody.goostree@cityoforlando.net.

Graffiti Hotline

Residents can call in and report graffiti to 407.254.GRAF (4723). This information clearinghouse, managed by Keep Orlando Beautiful, streamlines the process for graffiti removal by working in tandem with City departments and the OPD Gang Enforcement team to aggressively locate and remove graffiti. Residents can also report graffiti online by going to cityoforlando.net/public_works/graffiti/Graffiti.aspx.

Only Rain Down the Drain

Orlando lakeshores are great places to enjoy summertime picnics, celebrate special events and enjoy nature. Unfortunately, these same activities can also result in large amounts of littered debris and trash. Litter is a concern for both the aesthetic nature of the lake, and the health and safety of the environment and local wildlife. Please remember to collect any trash, large or small, from your yard, street or the shoreline before it ends up in the lake. This includes yard debris like grass clippings and leaves. The only thing that belongs in the street or storm drain is rainwater! In fact, Stormwater Utility Code 31.19 states: “It is prohibited to discharge any polluting matter into the streets and/or storm systems…Violators may be subject to a civil penalty, a citation, pollution abatement costs, and/or action by the City of Orlando Code Board.” Please contact the City of Orlando Stormwater Hotline at 407.246.2370 to report illicit discharge or dumping into any part of the stormwater system. Thank you in advance for your participation in keeping Orlando beautiful!

The next Tree Adoption Program is October 9 at Tibet Butler Preserve, 8777 County Rd 535, Orlando, FL 32836 at 8 a.m. City of Orlando residents who want to receive two free trees to plant in their landscapes should register upon arrival and provide proof of Orange County residency (such as driver’s license, photo I.D., or utility bill). Trees are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. The give-away supply is limited to two 7-gallon trees per household. Trees may not be planted on public property or retention ponds. Orange County/University of Florida IFAS Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer landscape questions. For more information about the program or other dates, please contact the Orange County/University of Florida IFAS Extension Education Center, 407.254.9200.

Events

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To stay on top of City events, visit cityoforlando.net.
For Community Affairs Events visit cityoforlando.net/oca..
For Harry P Leu Gardens Events, visit leugardens.org.
For Main Street events, visit cityoforlando.net/mainstreet.

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Neighborhood Briefing Archive

Florida has a very broad public records law. As a result, any written communication created or received by City of Orlando officials and employees will be made available to the public and media, upon request, unless otherwise exempt. Under Florida law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this office. Instead, contact our office by phone or in writing.